Israel is located in Southwest Asia between the Mediterranean and the deserts of Syria and Arabia. The country's geographical borders are the Mediterranean to the West, the Jordan Valley Rift to the East, the mountains of Lebanon to the North with Eilat Bay the most southern tip.

Passport and Visa

Visas are not required for US and Canadian citizens. To enter Israel, a passport valid for at least three months beyond the length of stay is required by all nationals.

Currency

New Shekel (ILS; symbol ₪) = 100 agorot (singular, agora). Notes are in denominations of ₪200, 100, 50, and 20. Coins are in denominations of ₪10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50 and 10 agorot.

Credit & debit cards: MasterCard, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted, but many small establishments - shops and restaurants only accept cash. It is advisable to ask merchants if they accept credit cards before trying to purchase items

Israel uses what is called a "H" type plug. This plug, which is unique to Israel, has two flat prongs that form a V-shape and a flat vertical grounding prong at the bottom. They are rated at 16A. Type H outlets (sockets) are so shaped as to accommodate type C plugs as well.. You will need an adapter plug and you can purchase these at Radio Shack or Brookstone.

Weather

There are two seasons in Israel, winter and summer. The winter is colder with showers and the summer is hot. There are different climates throughout Israel changing from the more humid areas near the seashore (such as Tel Aviv) to the drier mountain areas (such as Jerusalem). The low areas such as the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee can get very hot.

What to Pack for Your Israel Vacation

One suitcase and an overnight bag are allowed – please check with individual airlines for weight limits.

**It is going to be warmer during the day and cool at night. In some of the Temples/churches — there is a strict dress code that forbids shorts, skirts above the knee, and bare shoulders. Please pack accordingly.

How to Call IsraelDial 011, the international access code. Dial the country code for Israel, 972 Dial the city code for the city you wish to call. Dial the rest of the telephone number.

Instructions for Calling to Cell Phones in IsraelCalling a cellular phone in Israel requires that you dial an additional number. For calls from outside Israel to an Israeli cellular phone, a two-digit cellular phone prefix must be dialed between the country code and local number. The cellular phone prefixes always begin with the number 5, while the second digit depends upon the cellular phone provider. When calling a cellular phone from within Israel, just dial 0 and the cellular phone prefix before the local number

Tips for Calling Internationally from IsraelTo make international calls from Israel, first dial 00, followed by the country code (1 for the U.S. and Canada), area code, and local number.

Shopping

Israel has economic ties with almost all nations in the world and manufactures a wide variety of products.

Most stores are open from Sunday to Thursday between 9:00am and 7:00pm. Some stores close between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Shopping centers that do not cater to the religious population are open on Saturdays and others open on Saturday night or holiday nights.

VAT of 16.5% is added to all sales and services and is included in the price.

Local Foods

Israeli eating has distinctive characteristics, especially the fondness for fresh, finely chopped salads, eaten at every meal including breakfast. In general the cuisine is a fusion of East and West, plus many dishes and flavours brought by Jewish immigrants from all over the world. Most restaurants are moderately priced. Table service is the norm, except at the many low-cost snack bars. Restaurants, bars and cafés catering for tourists usually have menus in both Hebrew and English.

Some specialties: Falafel (deep-fried balls of mashed chickpeas) in a pita bread, with hummus (ground chickpeas),tahina (sesame seed sauce) and salads. Salads, which include savoury vegetable dishes served cold, such as aubergines. Ashkenazi classics like cholent (Shabbat meat stew) and gefilte fish, a white fish dish.